Rohrer well-received by area tea party

The local tea party favorite for U.S. Senate earned a standing ovation Friday evening before an audience of approximately 40 at the Somerset Masonic Temple.

Former state Rep. Sam Rohrer pledged to spearhead major changes if elected to the seat. The Berks County resident hopes to defeat Democratic incumbent Bob Casey in November.

First, however, he’ll likely need to win the Republican primary in April. And he told members of the Roof Garden Patriots that he intends to do just that — despite losing out on the state GOP endorsement to Steve Welch.

“I think at the end of the day, the couple hundred people who comprise those votes are just a couple hundred people. These,” he said motioning to the crowd, “are the votes.”

In addition to staking out typical GOP stances against abortion and gun control, Rohrer called for a drastic government downsizing.

“I have been increasingly concerned about where we’re going as a nation,” he said, later adding that he wants to gradually end federal education funding.

He also told the crowd that the U.S. should withdraw from the United Nations and force an audit of the Federal Reserve banking system to rein in government spending.

“It is necessary,” he said. “The audit becomes the first step.”

Rohrer spent most of his speaking time discussing his voting record. He told residents he consistently voted according to his conscience and the Constitution during his nine terms in the state House.

“(Our votes are) the only thing people care about,” he said. “It’s what the lobbyists try to buy.”

According to Roof Garden Patriots President Greg Brant, all Senate candidates were invited to the organization’s straw poll Monday. None of them attended, he said, but Rohrer made good on a promise to come in later in the week.

Somerset resident Jim Hendershot said he was eager to hear Rohrer speak.

“We’ve heard a lot about him,” he said. “He has the experience.”

Tom Knepper of Berlin added: “I’d like to see a solid conservative win the race because we need it desperately.”

Rohrer — who ran for Pennsylvania governor two years ago — is competing against Welch, David Christian, John Kensinger, Marc Scaringi and Tom Smith for the GOP nomination. The primary will be held April 24.